Amanda Martin, Secretary Portsmouth NUT, gives her view of unity.
Professional Unity in Portsmouth has existed for a great many years now but in recent times the best example I can give is the unique way that all the education unions worked successfully together when the TLR restructuring initiative was introduced.
The Teachers’ Liaison Panel (TLP a group of all teaching unions which meets half termly to discuss policies and procedures linked to terms and conditions of service for teachers in the city) suggested to Portsmouth Local Authority (LA) that together we could aid the restructuring for all schools in the city.
The plan was for each school to submit its current structure along with the proposed structure and an outline of the changes to the panel of union representatives (from NUT, NASUWT, ATL, Voice, NAHT, ASCL and UNISON) and LA Human resources Officers. The structures would then be scrutinised for fairness, proportion of roles and responsibilities and how they met with government guidance.
Many structures went backwards and forwards during the schools consultation period with schools making necessary changes and adjustments. Schools were given a consultation week when their model would be scrutinised and some Heads came along and made presentations. It was very much a working together ethos with some schools disseminating ideas of best practice.
It was a great success, further highlighted as since the 31st December deadline of safeguarded salaries because in Portsmouth there have been very few incidents of casework related to this issue.
The restructuring model looked to strengthen the great links already established through the informal processes of casework, redundancies and the rolling out of education initiatives between the local union secretaries and members.
In Portsmouth we have continued this strong relationship as we embrace the Local Social Partnership (LSP) initiative and through our working party we are almost ready to distribute a whole school questionnaire, to gauge the workload experienced within a school. Which has once again involved all unions in its design.
Throughout our and many other Local Authorities union professionals and union members work alongside each other daily. The reason for this is simple; unified we have a chance of greater success.
Amanda Martin
Secretary Portsmouth NUT
If you have ideas or practical examples of unity in action please let us know!
Lesley Gouldbourne is a member of NASUWT and NUT working in Brent. She has been instrumental in ensuring that meetings wherever possible are run on a joint union basis—at school and in the LA.
The unions involved in education in Brent work very closely together and this has meant it is probably one of the most active union areas in the country.
Lesley says, “Working together makes so much sense as we are stronger. When we meet with the Authority or have an issue in a school they know that we come in united”
Lesley Gouldbourne is the Organiser of UNIFY and is also a founder member of PU 2000.